Starter motor not fully disengaging

[fisicx]

Sometimes on start and now more often after starting the starter motor drive pinion graunches against the ring gear. It's as if it doesn't fully engage or disengage.

 

I'm taking the starter motor off tomorrow to take a look but is this something easily fixed (such as just giving it a good clean)?

 

Graham

 

 

[Geko]

The spring of the bendix may be weak. A quick and dirty fix is to add shims between the starter and the backplate to keep the starter further away from the ring gear

[RogerH]

Hi Graham,

have you got an original pre-engage motor. This may need a good clean.

 

Roger

[fisicx]

The spring of the bendix may be weak. A quick and dirty fix is to add shims between the starter and the backplate to keep the starter further away from the ring gear

No bendix. It's got a solenoid.

 

have you got an original pre-engage motor. This may need a good clean.

Got one of these: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GXE4439R

 

Like you said, probably needs a good clean.

[PJM]

Dont oil the bendix it will pick up dust and crap, instead use some graphite powder

Edited May 9, 2018 by PJM

[fisicx]

All sorted!

 

After dismantling half the engine I got the starter motor out and it was full of crud. Gave it a good clean and it worked purfick on the bench.

 

Getting it back in was fun. To install the top nut you can either get your fingers in the gap or the nut but not both. Once is was finaly back in place I then couldn't get the spanner off.

 

But it works just like new now so that was 4 hours well spent.

[fisicx]

So the graunching noise returned and I removed the starter motor again.

 

This time during cleaning this bit fell out:

 

 

It doesn't appear to be part of the starter motor (everything still works), does anyone have a idea what it is.

 

It's about 20mm wide

[john.r.davies]

Bit of clutch cover plate??

[fisicx]

After removing and cleaning (twice) it's just getting worse and worse so I bit the bullet and brought a new hi-torque motor from Moss in the sale.

Blimey!

The poor old engine didn't know what hit it. It's never spun that fast on start in its life. Sounds a bit strange but it does the job. And no more graunching noises so well chuffed.